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West St. Paul City Council discussed Neighbors, Inc., a new trail on Delaware, and housing improvements in a short meeting, with most discussion happening during the Open Council Work Session (OCWS). The Council also had a closed session for the annual performance review of City Manager Nate Burkett.
Neighbors, Inc.
Dawn Wambeke, the new executive director of Neighbors, Inc., presented to the Council and discussed how the city has in the past and could partner in the future with the organization.
- What is it? Neighbors is a non-profit organization that provides assistance to the communities of West St. Paul, South St. Paul, Inver Grove Heights, Mendota Heights, Mendota, Sunfish Lake, and Lilydale.
- New executive director: Wambeke has 23 years of experience in non-profits and is passionate about Neighbors’ mission of hunger relief, resiliency, and financial empowerment. She joined Neighbors in June 2023 and has set goals to do more community outreach and connect more with the partners.
- What they offer: Neighbors was founded in 1972 and has grown to have 225 active volunteers, 17 staff, and 15 members of the board. One of their oldest volunteers is 106 years old and volunteers weekly. Neighbors offers a variety of services, such as a food shelf, the Clothes Closet (a thrift shop open to the public), holiday assistance, and financial empowerment counseling.
- Increased demand: Neighbors is looking for more ways to partner with the city and the county, to raise awareness and support for their work. They have seen a 300% increase in demand for food over the last few years, and they are pursuing a grant to possibly expand the food shelf. Shopping at the food shelf is by appointment only, and Wambeke said appointments fill up fast, which makes her worry about how many people need their services but aren’t able to make appointments. The food shelf is designed to be high dignity and allow users to shop for their own items in a store-like setting. In the past, West St. Paul has competed against South St. Paul to see who could gather the most donations to the food shelf. Mayor Napier said the city would look into restarting a program like that, and including all the communities Neighbors serves.
Housing Improvement Area
The Council discussed the possibility of implementing a housing improvement area (HIA) policy, pointing to other cities that have used HIAs extensively, such as Hopkins and St. Louis Park, as well as Eagan, which recently established a similar policy.
- What is it? An HIA provides the ability for cities to finance improvements for common areas in condominiums and townhomes, such as roofing, siding, and parking lots.
- How it works: Condo and townhome associations often face funding shortfalls, and an HIA can be a useful tool in securing lower interest loans with longer repayment terms. The bonds issued by the city would have no impact on the city’s bond rating, and the city could charge fees to cover staff time spent on projects. An HIA requires approval by a majority of association members, compliance with city codes, and they must prove that they are bringing their reserves into compliance with state law.
- Interest: A condo association in the city recently expressed interest in establishing an HIA and asked the Council for feedback, and this topic has been brought up to the Council in the past by another association. Doug Strandness, president of Dunbar Strandness, a multifamily housing consulting firm, said that an HIA is a game changer for home owner associations (HOAs) that face deferred maintenance and depreciation issues. He gave examples of successful HIA projects that transformed properties and increased their values. The presentation also pointed out that having an HIA policy would be in line with the city’s strategic planning initiative to improve housing quality.
Other Items on the Agenda
- Delaware Trail: Bryce LeBrun, a project manager for the Dakota County transportation department, presented an initial look at a new trail that will improve pedestrian safety near Two Rivers High School. The project aims to improve access for walking and biking to the school. The project involves adding a trail segment on the east side of Delaware from Mendota Road to Marie Avenue, enhancing the crossing sections, and adding smart traffic calming measures. The project will be bid in December and January, and construction will be done in two phases from June to September 2024. The goal is to minimize the need to close Delaware during construction. The project is being funded through a grant from the Met Council, Dakota County contributing 85% of the cost, and West St. Paul and Mendota Heights contributing 7.5% each. This project is the beginning of a multi-year long plan to add trails and sidewalks to Delaware. The northern portion of Delaware will begin initial planning in 2024 and 2025, with construction slated for 2026.The Council praised the plan for its pedestrian focused-design and elegant ways to slow speeds near the school.
- Budget: In a short presentation during OCWS, City Manager Nate Burkett reviewed some of the operational efficiencies built into the budget, such as using the geographic information system (GIS) system to provide business and rental licensing, using online inspection software, and training staff on computer-aided design (CAD) software to be able to do smaller projects in-house. He also pointed to other areas of interest, such as the need to review insurance, developing strategies to decrease vandalism in city parks, and reviewing bringing the dome under city management. The budget discussion continued into the City Council meeting, with a question from Council Member Lisa Eng-Sarne, who wanted to know if public art was included in the budget. Burkett replied that the city plans to incorporate adding public art during next year’s Explore West St. Paul Days, but that likely funding for public art would come in the form of a grant. The final budget will be approved in December.
- Performance review: Council had a closed session for the annual performance review of City Manager Nate Burkett.
Engage
- Watch: City Council and OCWS meetings are archived online.
- Learn more: Guide to West St. Paul City Council.
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